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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
This was one of the most beautiful books I have seen. It does an amazing job of capturing what it is like to go to a foreign land, and even more on what it must be like to be an immigrant. There is no dialogue in the entire piece. The book consists of dozens, if not hundreds, of pictures with strange shapes, letters, and situations. You must figure out, exactly like the main character, what is going on. If you have ever traveled to a foreign country, particularly one that speaks a different language, you will identify with the protagonist and flash back (hopefully positively) to your own experiences and stories.
Finally, if you love drawn illustration, you will enjoy this book.
Finally, if you love drawn illustration, you will enjoy this book.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
For context, this book was recommended to me by my professional mentor, and other than a quick flick through with her focusing only on the technical aspects of the graphic novel, I went into READING this book blind.
Halfway through (perhaps too slow on my part), it hit me that this is an allegory for immigration, hidden in a surreal/ magical-realism tale. It’s a quiet comic, but which is certainly not silent. The message is powerful, and Tan does an excellent job in portraying just how lost these people are in alien lands. However, he also highlights the compassion of humanity, how other immigrants are willing to help the newcomers, because they know how it feels to be in this new place and not being able to speak the language, understand the culture and thus fit in.
Community, compassion and selflessness are the key themes here. And from a technical standpoint, Tan is an excellent draughtsman and storyteller. I would give 5 stars but knocked 0.25 off because I found it confusing to find the correct order of panels in the double page layouts. Other than that it would be a 5.
Halfway through (perhaps too slow on my part), it hit me that this is an allegory for immigration, hidden in a surreal/ magical-realism tale. It’s a quiet comic, but which is certainly not silent. The message is powerful, and Tan does an excellent job in portraying just how lost these people are in alien lands. However, he also highlights the compassion of humanity, how other immigrants are willing to help the newcomers, because they know how it feels to be in this new place and not being able to speak the language, understand the culture and thus fit in.
Community, compassion and selflessness are the key themes here. And from a technical standpoint, Tan is an excellent draughtsman and storyteller. I would give 5 stars but knocked 0.25 off because I found it confusing to find the correct order of panels in the double page layouts. Other than that it would be a 5.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Love the art in this book. So captivating and unique. I loved everything about it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
'The Arrival' is a serious candidate for being the best graphic novel ever. Shaun Tan tells his moving tale completely without words, and because the world the immigrant arrives in is completely strange to us readers, as well, we share the man's experiences. Tan's pencil drawings are of an extraordinary beauty. The author mixes realism and fantasy into a beautiful visual tale. The drawings sometimes fill two pages, and at other times are only little squares. Tan's command of visual storytelling is of the highest level, capable of evoking e.g. fear, hope, confusion and loneliness. This is one of those extremely rare graphic novels that moved me to tears, which to me says enough...
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced